Master teachers teach children how to paint Chinese painting.2

Author: Liu Yinxiang
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2003-08-01
Features: Teaching children to paint ink paintings requires teaching them to master the basic principles of brushwork and ink application, and not leading them into the misconception of deliberately pursuing accidental effects of brush and ink. Generally speaking, painting directly with a brush dipped in ink results in unchanging, lifeless ink. When water is added to ink, and water and ink blend together, they produce living ink with varying degrees of dryness, wetness, darkness, and lightness. Ink painters pay great attention to the art of dipping ink. They usually dip water first, then ink, and adjust the brush to a sharp, dark tip with a gradually fading base for even transitions. As the painting progresses, the ink naturally changes from dark to light, from wet to dry, creating a series of variations. It is best to use up the ink in one stroke before dipping again to maintain its freshness. People are often amazed by the ink paintings I teach children to create, thinking they must be the work of a master. They truly paint very well, and if I hadn’t taught them myself, I wouldn’t believe they were done by children aged five or six. Ink painting remains a weak area in the field of children’s art education today. Many teachers still teach using adult techniques and the method of simply copying, endlessly painting plum blossoms, orchids, bamboos, and chrysanthemums, turning naturally lively children into "little old men" or "little old women" like those in senior university classes—a truly regrettable outcome. Some young teachers, however, apply the methods of children’s painting to ink painting instruction, focusing solely on outlining and filling in colors. How can this not castrate the long-standing and profound tradition of Chinese painting? I greatly admire the late painter Li Luogong and his students, Axi and Wang Yani. Their paintings of cats and monkeys are full of vitality and expressive inkwork, transforming real-life images into symbolic visual expressions. They showcase the unique artistic charm of Chinese painting while also capturing the children’s own feelings, leaving a deep impression on the art world. Children’s potential is limitless, and with proper guidance, each one can be a master. In my ink painting instruction, I mainly teach them the modeling methods of Chinese painting and the basic principles of brushwork and ink application. The composition of the painting is generally left to the children themselves, giving them space to express themselves and encouraging them to create works that are different from both their teachers and peers, as well as from their own previous efforts. Chinese painting modeling differs from children’s painting and follows its own unique principles, much like Peking Opera, which contains certain conventions. Objective objects are generalized and exaggerated through art, becoming simplified, subtle, and expressive. When painting, one should face the blank paper with a clear vision, as if writing calligraphy, bringing the painting to life. If one lacks a clear idea, painting stroke by stroke will result in weak, lifeless lines and works lacking depth and vitality. When teaching children to paint ink paintings, I first distill a modeling method suitable for their grasp, allowing them to freely depict the different poses of objects. For example, when painting giant pandas, I visited the zoo multiple times and created the "bread modeling method," which is both fun and easy to learn. This way, they can paint their own "giant pandas in their minds." When teaching children to paint portraits of famous figures like Einstein and Qi Baishi, I use storytelling, photographs, and analysis of facial features, along with practice in modeling, so that once they have a clear idea, they can directly apply ink without preliminary sketches, achieving excellent results. During the selection process of the "First National Children’s Ink Painting Exhibition," they received unanimous praise from experts and scholars.
Teaching children to paint ink paintings requires teaching them to master the basic principles of brushwork and ink application, and not leading them into the misconception of deliberately pursuing accidental effects of brush and ink. Generally speaking, painting directly with a brush dipped in ink results in unchanging, lifeless ink. When water is added to ink, and water and ink blend together, they produce living ink with varying degrees of dryness, wetness, darkness, and lightness. Ink painters pay great attention to the art of dipping ink. They usually dip water first, then ink, and adjust the brush to a sharp, dark tip with a gradually fading base for even transitions. As the painting progresses, the ink naturally changes from dark to light, from wet to dry, creating a series of variations. It is best to use up the ink in one stroke before dipping again to maintain its freshness.
There is no fixed method for holding the brush; children can do so freely. However, from the beginning, it is important to emphasize holding the brush with the wrist and elbow suspended, so that the lines drawn are heavy, thick, and full of rustic charm and novelty. Another point is that they must complete each painting in one go. The variations in ink’s dryness, wetness, darkness, and lightness only occur on Xuan paper when it is still wet, creating a sense of ink rhythm. As long as children learn the correct methods of brushwork and ink application and focus their energy on the subject matter, some wonderful effects of brush and ink often appear unexpectedly. Let them try it and experience the joy that brush and ink bring.